What are the treatment options for alopecia areata?
Alopecia areata is a very unpredictable condition. In many cases, bald patches re-grow by themselves without treatment. In particular, if there are just one or two small bald patches then many doctors would advise that you simply leave it alone at first. This is sometimes called ‘watchful waiting’. If the hair loss is not too bad then there is a good chance that hair will re-grow after several months. (Any re-growth usually does not start within three months of hair loss.) A change in hair style may perhaps conceal one or two small bald patches. If the hair loss becomes more extensive, then the decision on whether to treat can be reconsidered. But even with extensive hair loss, there is still a chance that hair will re-grow without treatment. Note: alopecia areata itself won’t damage your general health and so not treating will not lead to any general health problems. When deciding on whether to treat or not, you should take into account the possible side-effects that some of the treat
